Environmental Education Sessions

Freshwater

Enviroscapes® is a water catchment model that explores run-off (or non-point source) pollution, which contributes a great deal to the pollution in our waterways. This class-based resource has a range of activities which help students to identify the types of non-point source, or run off, pollution, coming from both urban and rural areas. Students can also discuss ways to mitigate the pollution to keep our waterways healthy. This activity is a great precursor to conducting a Waiora stream study.
 
Waiora stream study investigates water quality issues, aquatic habitats and the impacts of land management. The programme is available as a facilitated session or you can simply borrow the monitoring kit and carry out your own study. A full teacher’s guide is included in the kit. Although this programme is aimed at senior primary to intermediate, we can bespoke it to any age group.
 
Kura Kaitiaki Water Conservation is our water conservation resource which aims to raise awareness about our fresh water as a finite resource and a precious taonga. It explores the issues associated with using tap water and covers the concepts of water conservation. This is a must have resource for teachers keen to explore water. Download an e-copy, or contact us to request a hard copy. For those in Whanganui, there is an additional resource available that looks at how water gets to your taps and what water treatment process it has gone through.

Biosecurity (pest animals and plants)

Pests animals are hugely damaging to our native flora and fauna. Not only do they eat both young and adult animals, they compete for the same food sources, whether these are invertebrates, plants or trees. With the introduction of an ambitious plan to rid New Zealand of our most damaging introduced predators by 2050, we encourage schools to explore this topic with your students.

If you are keen to further your inquiry, we offer outdoor activities looking at animal tracking and trapping. For example, finding out what pests are living in the school grounds or at home using their footprints and their teeth marks. More information on these activities are available here.

Finally, if your school is interested in backyard trapping to remove pests from your school grounds, then we will be able to advise on the best methods and, if available, lend you traps.

Pest plants or weeds threaten our unique biodiversity. There are more pest plants growing in the wild in New Zealand than native plant species. They threaten the long-term survival of some of our native animals by changing or destroying their habitat.